Golf: John Daly has no answer for yips

John Daly has gone 17 straight years on the PGA Tour with at least one round in the 80s. He didn't even manage that Friday in the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.

He missed a 4-foot putt on the last hole at Innisbrook and shot a career-high 90.

"I didn't give up," Daly said. "I tried."

He used up 12 of those shots on the 16th hole, but was more concerned with the putting yips. Daly said the yips began Sunday in Puerto Rico and reached a low point at Innisbrook.

He took 70 putts over two days, including a four-putt on the second hole of Friday's round.

"You're going to have big scores on holes. That's just the way golf is," said Daly, who opened with a 3-over 74. "But when you've got the yips, that's no fun."

On 16, Daly's tee shot went into the water. He had 270 yards to cover the lake after his penalty drop and failed twice. From there, he hit a hook well to the left of the water, only to hit what he described as a shank with his 7-iron right of the green. He took three chips to reach the green and one-putted for a 12.

Daly's highest score ever was an 18 on the sixth hole of the 1998 Bay Hill Invitational.

"I got two good drops and hit a heel-cut 3-wood into the water," he said. "Then I shanked a 7-iron, chili-dipped a chip, it was buried, didn't get that out. ... It was a good 12. I got up-and-down for 12."

Daly, who's been playing on sponsor exemptions for the last eight years, wasn't sure where he'd play next.

Advertisement

"It's my head, my hands, and I can't stop it," he said. "Even my legs are moving. I should just go put myself in a straitjacket and try that. I've always been a quick putter, so I should never get the yips. But I got 'em. I got 'em bad."

Meanwhile, Robert Garrigus shot a 5-under 66 to take a three-shot lead. He birdied all the par 5s for the second day in a row en route to a 7-under 135.

Champions: Bernhard Langer birdied three of the last four holes for an 8-under 63 and a two-shot lead in the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club. Fred Couples, Jeff Hart and Chien Soon Lu shot 65s. San Mateo's Michael Allen was in a group at 66.

European: Alejandro Canizares retained his one-stroke lead over Seve Benson by shooting a 4-under 68 in the second round of the Trophee Hassan II. Overnight leader Canizares was at 14-under 130. The Golf du Palais Royal sits inside the walls of the Royal Palace in Agadir, Morocco.